Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, a method for controlling the image processing apparatus, and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium.
Description of the Related Art
An image capturing apparatus converts undeveloped image information (a RAW image) captured by an image sensor into signals including luminance and color differences. So-called image development processing, for example, such as noise reduction, optical distortion correction, or image optimization, is performed on each of the obtained signals. After the image development processing has been performed on these luminance and color difference signals, the signals undergo compression encoding, and then the compressed signals are recorded to a recording medium.
On the other hand, an image capturing apparatus that can record a RAW image itself also exists. Although a large amount of data is needed for recording a RAW image, a RAW image has the advantages that correction or degradation of an original image is suppressed, and the RAW image can be edited after image shooting occurred. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-244423 discloses a configuration of an apparatus that records a RAW image. In the configuration described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-244423, image development parameters are recorded together with the RAW image, and when performing image playback, development and playback of the RAW image is performed using those image development parameters.
In recent years, with advancements in image sensors, the number of pixels in a single image has been increasing. There has also been a tendency for the number of images that can be continuously captured per second to increase. Therefore, the amount of processing in image development processing that is performed on RAW images, such as debayer processing, noise removal, and optical distortion correction, for example, has greatly multiplied. As a result, large circuitry and much power consumption may be required when performing image development processing concurrently with image shooting. In some cases, it may not be possible to realize high image shooting performance because of limitations on the space occupied by circuits or the power consumption needed for image development processing, for example.
On the other hand, if a configuration is adopted in which RAW images are recorded without being developed, as described in above Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-244423, the amount of processing for image development when shooting images can be reduced, but large circuitry is necessary to perform image development processing in real time when performing image playback. Thus, in order to realize high performance in an image capturing apparatus with this configuration, it is necessary to incorporate high-cost circuitry and enable this circuitry to be driven with high output.